3. Are you a preferred provider?

In short, no – and here’s why. In recent years health funds have begun to introduce “preferred provider” schemes in Australia. To become a preferred provider the dentist signs a contract with the health fund agreeing to charge patients a pre-determined fee for any treatment carried out. These schemes are essentially a contract between the dentist and the health fund, where the dentist agrees to provide certain services for a fixed fee. In return, the health fund hopes to make the dentist busier by sending more patients to the dentist. By doing this the health funds are able to control their costs and expenses and the amounts that they paying out. As health funds are private business, they do this to benefit themselves commercially rather than benefiting the health of the patient.

The fees set by the health fund for preferred provider schemes are generally lower than the average dental fee in Australia. As a result of these lower fees dentist who are preferred providers may cut corners. The term ‘you get what you pay for’ can sometimes be true in this instance.

4. Do I require dental health insurance (extras cover) and which health fund is best for me?

Firstly, it is important to establish whether health insurance is needed. Having health insurance for hospital cover is a good idea but whether having extras cover for things like dental, physio, optical etc. is something to think about carefully. For most healthy people with little health issues, having extras on health insurance is not required as the amount you spend on extras cover may end up being more than the amount you receive in claims. To determine if having extras cover on health insurance is a good idea, it is important to work out what your health expenses are. Do you have glasses? Do you also have and require other health treatments such as, physiotherapy, remedial massage, podiatry, psychology, speech therapy etc. to name a few. If you use and claim for these other treatments then having extras cover on your health insurance may be worthwhile.

To choose the correct health fund will require a lot of time and research. Nowadays, there are so many health funds around and they all have different options. Comparing health funds is very tricky as you may not be comparing apples with apples. As a general tip we would recommend choosing a health fund that does not have any preferred provider schemes. This allows you the freedom of choice to see any provider (health professional) you want and not be penalised financially for not seeing their preferred provider.

The Australian Dental Association has put together some helpful fact sheets on choosing the right health fund for you. Please click on the links below for more details.

5. I want a dentist that wants the best for my teeth, what is your dental philosophy?

At My Dentist at Cannon Hill, our philosophy reflects everything that we do.

We Believe:

• No two patients have the same needs. All our patients are individuals and require personalised treatment and service.
• In formulating individual treatment plans based on our patients’ dental goals.
• In empowering patients to make educated choices about their oral health care.
• In taking our time with every single patient.
• In simple but effective dental care.
• That prevention is better than cure.
• That your dental health and appearance should last a lifetime.
• That teeth are important. Healthy teeth give you confidence to smile.
• Dental treatment should no longer be scary.

If you believe in our philosophy, then we are the right dentist for you.

6. Do you have a price list of all your services?

The cost for different services and treatments will vary from tooth to tooth and situation to situation. Therefore, it is not possible to give prices or provide a price list as things will vary greatly. An example is like asking a heart surgeon how much it is for heart surgery with out the surgeon having seen and assessed the patient to determine what is needed. Or asking a builder how much it is to build a house without the builder having seen the plans.

We understand the importance of knowing how much treatment will be, thus before any treatment, it is recommended that you have an examination or consultation with one of our dentists. Once we assess the situation and discuss treatment options and decide on what you would like to do, we can then give you the cost of treatment.

We advise patients to be careful of dental practices that provide quotes over the phone without having seen the dentist. This usually leads to disappointments or compromised treatments.

7. Can you price match?

Dentistry is not like retail where you are able to buy exactly the same items but from different shops. The quality of dentistry and the dental practice can vary greatly from practice to practice. The skills of the dentist also varies greatly. At MDCH, we regularly review our prices against other dental practices and we believe that our prices reflect the quality of our dentistry and our dental practice. We do believe in the saying ‘you get what you pay for’.